Johan Pekkari

Johan Pekkari
Pekkari in October 2023
Born1971 (age 54–55)
Karlskoga, Sweden
Military career
AllegianceSweden
Branch
Swedish Army
Service years
1993–present
Rank
Major general
Commands
Conflicts
Post-Kosovo War

Major General Johan Pekkari (born 1971) is a Swedish Army officer. He began his career in artillery and later commanded the 92nd Artillery Battalion and the Artillery Regiment. He has also held several senior positions at Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters, focusing on planning, procurement, and defence policy. He served with KFOR in Kosovo and attended the Royal College of Defence Studies in London. In 2023, he became Chief of Strategic Plans and Policy and was promoted to major general. In August 2026, he assumed command as Chief of Army.

Early life

Pekkari was born in 1971 in Karlskoga, Sweden. His father is from Tärendö.

Career

Pekkari began his career as a professional officer at the Bergslagen Artillery Regiment (A 9) in Kristinehamn after completing military service as a forward observer in 1992–1993. In addition to his military officer's degree, Pekkari holds a degree in economics from Örebro University.

From 2007 to 2009, Pekkari attended the Command and Staff Programme at the Swedish National Defence College, with a specialization in military technology. His thesis, C-RAM – An American Acronym or a Swedish Capability?, examined counter-rocket, artillery and mortar capabilities. In 2010, Pekkari served with the Kosovo Force (KFOR) as Policy and Plans General Coordinator.

From 2011 to 2012, he was commander of the 92nd Artillery Battalion in Boden. He subsequently served at the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters in Stockholm, including as a materiel coordinator for indirect fire within the Training and Procurement Staff. On 1 September 2014, Pekkari assumed command of the Artillery Regiment (A 9) and was promoted to colonel. He formally assumed command during a ceremony at the regiment's barracks on 18 September 2014.

From 1 November 2016, Pekkari served as head of the Follow-up and Analysis Section of the Plans and Finance Department within the Defence Staff at Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters. From 1 September 2019, he was placed at the disposal of the Training and Procurement Staff. From 9 March 2018 to 19 July 2019, Pekkari attended the Royal College of Defence Studies in London, United Kingdom.

From 10 September 2020 to 31 December 2022, Pekkari served as Deputy Chief of Policy and Plans Department. On 1 January 2023, Pekkari assumed the position of Chief of Directorate of Strategic Plans and Policy within the Defence Staff (Chefen för Försvarsstabens strategienhet, C FST STRA). He was promoted to major general upon taking up the position. His appointment was extended from 1 January 2026.

On 18 August 2026, Chief of Defence General Michael Claesson appointed Pekkari as Chief of Army. He assumed command of the Swedish Army on 28 August 2026, succeeding Acting Chief of Army Brigadier General Per Nilsson [sv] at a ceremony at the Cavalry Barracks in Stockholm.

Personal life

Pekkari is married to Ylva, who is also an officer.

Dates of rank

Awards and decorations

Swedish

Foreign

Honours

Footnotes

  1. ↑ LEDS PLAN EK U/A refers to the Defence Staff (Ledningsstaben, LEDS), Plans and Finance Department (Planerings- och ekonomiavdelningen, PLANEK), Follow-up and Analysis Section (Sektionen för uppföljning och analys, U/A).
  2. ↑ Chefen för Försvarsstabens strategienhet (C FST STRA) has been translated in various sources as Chief of Directorate of Strategic Plans and Policy, Defence Staff.

References

  1. ↑ "Ledamöter per den 31 december 2024, antal ledamöter 377" [Members as of 31 December 2024, number of members 377] (PDF). Kungl Krigsvetenskapsakademiens handlingar : årsbok (in Swedish). Stockholm: Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences: 260. 2024. ISSN 3035-9856. SELIBR d0xht74fbdb0vfbq. Retrieved 8 September 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Värmlänning är ny chef för Artilleriregementet" [Värmlänning is the new commander of the Artillery Regiment] (PDF). Sveaartilleristen : tidskrift för Kungl. Svea artilleriregemente och Sveaartilleriföreningen (in Swedish) (2). Linköping: Sveaartilleristen: 5. 2014. ISSN 1654-854X. SELIBR 1832998. Retrieved 8 September 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 Zerpe, Håkan (18 September 2014). "Johan Pekkari tog över befälet på A 9" [Johan Pekkari took over command of A 9]. Norrbottens-Kuriren (in Swedish). Retrieved 8 September 2026.
  4. ↑ Pekkari, Johan (2 December 2009). "C-RAM – en amerikansk akronym eller en svensk förmåga?" [C-RAM – an American acronym or a Swedish capability?] (PDF) (in Swedish). Swedish National Defence College. Retrieved 8 September 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Maj Gen Johan Pekkari". Warsaw Security Forum. Retrieved 8 September 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Sveriges nya arméchef" [Sweden's new army chief] (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 31 August 2026. Retrieved 8 September 2026.
  7. 1 2 Öbom, Per (11 August 2014). "Han blir ny chef på A 9" [He will be the new commander of A 9]. Norrbottens-Kuriren (in Swedish). Retrieved 8 September 2026.
  8. ↑ "PÅ NY POST" (PDF). Försvarets forum: Personaltidning för fast anställda och reservofficerare i svenska försvarsmakten (in Swedish) (2). Stockholm: Försvarets forum: 5. 2014. SELIBR 4109339. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 July 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2026.
  9. ↑ "Försvarsmaktens gemensamma identitet – direktiv för användandet av Försvarsmaktens namn, profil och bild" (PDF). 1.3 (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 16 September 2013. p. 67. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 February 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2026.
  10. ↑ "PÅ NY POST" (PDF). Försvarets forum: Personaltidning för fast anställda och reservofficerare i svenska försvarsmakten (in Swedish) (5). Stockholm: Försvarets forum: 8. 2016. ISSN 1100-8245. SELIBR 4109339. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 August 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2026.
  11. ↑ "PÅ NY POST" (PDF). Försvarets forum: Personaltidning för fast anställda och reservofficerare i svenska försvarsmakten (in Swedish) (4). Stockholm: Försvarets forum: 8. 2018. ISSN 1100-8245. SELIBR 4109339. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2026.
  12. ↑ "PÅ NY POST" (PDF). Försvarets forum: Personaltidning för fast anställda och reservofficerare i svenska försvarsmakten (in Swedish) (6). Stockholm: Försvarets forum: 9. 2017. ISSN 1100-8245. SELIBR 4109339. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 August 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2026.
  13. ↑ "PÅ NY POST" (PDF). Försvarets forum: Personaltidning för fast anställda och reservofficerare i svenska försvarsmakten (in Swedish) (4). Stockholm: Försvarets forum: 10. 2020. ISSN 1100-8245. SELIBR 4109339. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 September 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2026.
  14. ↑ "Allied Command Transformation Receives Swedish Defence Delegation for Strategic Discussions on Defence Planning and Policy". Allied Command Transformation. 25 May 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2026.
  15. ↑ "The Swedish Armed Forces deepens its collaboration with Karolinska Institutet". Karolinska Institute. 8 October 2025. Retrieved 8 September 2026.
  16. ↑ "Visit by Major General Johan Pekkari, Chief of Directorate of Strategic Plans and Policy, Defence Staff, Swedish Armed Forces HQ, and His Delegation". National Institute for Defense Studies. 2026. Retrieved 8 September 2026.
  17. ↑ "PÅ NY POST" (PDF). Försvarets forum: Personaltidning för fast anställda och reservofficerare i svenska försvarsmakten (in Swedish) (6). Stockholm: Försvarets forum: 9. 2022. SELIBR 4109339. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2026.
  18. ↑ "PÅ NY POST" (PDF). Försvarets forum: Personaltidning för fast anställda och reservofficerare i svenska försvarsmakten (in Swedish) (1). Stockholm: Försvarets forum: 8. 2026. SELIBR 4109339. Retrieved 8 September 2026.
  19. ↑ "Johan Pekkari ny arméchef" [Johan Pekkari new army chief] (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 18 August 2026. Retrieved 8 September 2026.
  20. ↑ "New members of the Academy 2020". Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2026.